Reversible single-line feeder



- Nov. 2l, 1939.

D. R. HILLIS REVERSIBLE SINGLE-LINE FEEDER Filed oct. 15,y 193e INVENTOR ATTORNEY '1 Patented Nov. 21, 1939 rUNITED sTATEs aisance REVERSIBLE susana-Luml manna David R. Hillis, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Trabon Engineering Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application canteras, 133s.' sum No. 105,181 3 claims.. (ci. 18s-'n The present invention relates to feeders for a reversible fluid distributing system of the single pipe-line type wherein fluid passes through the feeder, discharging a measured quantity thereof out of an outlet port and then by-passes to the continuation of the pipe-line after which iiow' of the fluid is stopped and is then passed through the pipe-line and feeder in the reverse direction. 1t is particularly adapted for lubricating purposes in such'a fluid distributing system.

In my Patent No. 1,997,406, issued April 9, 1935, I disclosed three species of feeders for use in such a distributing system. In my copending application, Serial No. 738,656, led August 6,1934, I disclosed a system using another species of such a feeder and I have since filed a divisional application on the `feeder therein disclosed, being appucanon, serial Nu. 73,784, med May 9, 1936.

In all of my said former disclosed devices, I utilized the principle of a piston reciprocating in a fixed cylinder which had suitable connecting passages and control valves in order to make it operative. These all utilize three cylindrical bores which must be very accurate in order to accommodate the piston valves as well as the main piston.

An object of the present invention, isftherefore,` the provision of a feeder that will eliminate some of the diiiicult boring operations, as I may now utilize common tubing for a sleeve out of which to make a sliding piston in which another piston reciprocates.

Another'object of my present invention is the provision of a feeder of the class described which will operate effectively with but few moving parts. y A further object of my invention is to provide a fluid feeder of the above type comprising a check valve on each end of a piston for closing a by-pass port until the piston has been moved sumciently by the ow to disconnect its ports whereby the feeder has positive operating characteristics on high or low pressure and' in any mounted position.

It is also an object of my invention to provide aieeder that comprises a piston reciprocating within a hollow piston for discharging a quantity of uid therefrom and for thereafter opening. a by-pass connection therethrough.

The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments.' when drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment gi; my; improved feeder taken on the line i-i of Fig. 2 is a sectional lview of a slightly modified form of the feeder shown in Fig. 1 having sub- 5 stantially the sam'e operative parts .is that shown in Fig. 1; said parts being shown in the rever positio'n to that shown in Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the feedertaken on line 3--3 of F18. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view oi' the feeder taken o n the line 4- 4 of Fig. 1. l

Reference to these views in which like charactels are employed to designate like parts throughout will now be made. The feeder shown in Figs. '15

, 3 and 4 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2 save for the location of the outlet portsA and one of the dual-service ports. By the term y dual-service port, I mean a port that acts in two The feeder shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive com- 25 A prises a body portion i which may be of any exterior shape, but which is preferably cylindrical as shown. The body is bored to provide a cylindrical piston guiding orlce 2. the end walls oi which are closed by plugs 3 and 4 having suitable 3o means for securing them to the body i such as the screw thread engagement shown.

Dividing the closed piston guiding orifice 2 in two end compartments is a hollow cylindrical piston 9 slidably disposed therein and comprising 35 a sleeve member closed at each endby end fixtures or plugs 6 and l, Mounted to reciprocate in the'hollow piston 5 is an auxiliary piston 9, which has end spacing stops 8a and which divides the hollow piston 5 into two opposed cham- 40 bers.

The body i is provided with two passages -9 and i9, .each passage being'substantially parallel to the piston guiding orliice 2 and being of a length' 5 0A In Fig. 1, the plug 3 is provided with a dualservice port -I'I shown on top but which may be in any portion of the plug. When located on the top as shown, oron the side; it connects through duct Il with the interior of cylinder 2 at one end 55 thereof. The inner face o! said plug 3 is shown as provided with a circular recess but this is not essential. As shown in Fig. 2, the plug 3 is provided with a. dual-service port I1 directly through it so that it communicates direhtly with cylinder 2, and similarly plug l, in both modifications shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, is provided with a dual-service port I3 paing directly therethrough and communicating directly with cylinder 2. All said dualservice-ports are provided with suitable means for connection to a pipe line, as for instance, by means of the screw threaded portions shown.

Each of the plugs 6 and 'I which close the respective ends of the hollow piston E are cut away on their outer sides to provide a circular groove 20 surrounding a central stud portion 21| on which is mounted a valve stop member 22. f

A smaller groove or circular valve recess 23 is also cut in each of said plug members 3 and 1 from the inner portion of each groove 20 of said plug in such manner as to provide a shoulder on each side of said passage and a duct 2| leads from the inner portion of each of said passages 23 to the circumferential wall of cylinder 2. A centrally pierced disc valve 25 is mounted to slide on each stud 2I in each groove 20 in such manner as to close the passage 23 to the iiow of fluid from cylinder 2 but to permit the ow of fluid from duct 24 into cylinder 2.

The cylindrical piston 5 is provided with two inlet ports 26 and 21, at its -respective ends.

Port 26 is adapted to be alternately closed to and then to register with port I2 and port 21 is adapted to alternately register with and then to be closed to port I5.

The cylindrical piston 5 is also provided with two discharge ports 28 and 29 at its respective ends. Port 28 is adapted to register with a. port .3B in walls of orifice 2 when cylindrical piston 5 is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. l, and

' to be out of registry therewith when moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 2. Port 29 is adapted to register with a port 3l in cylinder 2 when the cylindrical piston 5 is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 2, and to be out of registry therewith when moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 1.

A connecting discharge passage 32 is provided in the wall of the body of the feeder, and this passage may connect through a circular channel 32a cut in the inner surface of the plug' to a passage 33 bored in the plug 3, leading to a dischargeoutlet port 34, provided on the end .of the plug, as shown in Fig. 1. Or, as shown in Fig. 2, the passage 32 may have an outlet port 33 directly connected thereto, and threaded for connection to a bearing or vpipe dine.

The cylindrical` piston 5 is also provided with a by-pass outlet port 35 which is controlled by the auxiliary piston 8 to alternately register with the ports I3 and I6. The side of the piston guiding orifice 2 is provided with an elongated slot or keyway 36 and the plug 6 in the cylindrical piston 5 is provided with a Ipin '31 which projects into the axially disposed slot 36 to pre- Vent the cylindrical piston 5 from turning axially relative to the oriice2. This provides the interconnection of piston ports and the oriiice ports, as the piston 5 slides in the orifice 2.

In Fig. 1, the parts are shown in the positions that they would occupy when fluid has entered the feeder from the left through dual-service port I9 and after shifting cylindrical piston 5 to the right preparatory to passing into cylindrical piston 3 to actuate piston 8, and in Fig. 2 the parts are shown in the opposite position.

Let us therefore assume that the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is hooked up in a pipe-line circuit and that iiuid is ilowing therethrough in a direction so as to pass into the feeder through its dual-service port I9 and to pass out of its dualservice port I1, after discharging its measured quantity of fluid out of the discharge port 3l.

As the uid iiowing under pressure passes through dual-service port I9 into the adjacent compartment in guiding orifice 2, it causes cylindrical piston E to shift to the position shown in Flg. 1, since it pushes disc valve 25 against innermost portion of 4recess 2li in plug 1, so as to block circumferential groove 23. It then passes through duct I3 into passage III from whence it can not pass anywhere until cylindrical piston- 5 has shifted to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Thereafter the iiuid passesout of passage III through ducts 'I5 and 21, which are then adapted to register, passing into cylindrical piston 5 to the left of piston il. 'Piston 8 is provldedwith the space stop member 8a leaving a large area therearound for uid pressure to be built up between the plug 'l and thepiston S'so as to cause the latter to move to the right. Before piston 8 closes duct 35, a trivial quantity of uld will pass out of ducts 35 and I3 into passage 9, thence through ductl II, passages 2l and 23 into cylinder 2 and thence to the pipe line through duct I8 and dual-service port I1.

The remainder of the fluid on the right of 4move to the right against the stop member 22A permitting the lfiuid to pass directly into the-recessed portion 20 of plug 6 which recessed portion registers with the other compartment in guiding orifice 2, from whence it may pass through duct I8 to dual-service port I'I.

In the modification shownvin Fig. 2, the action is exactly the same, save that in lieu oi' the duct I8 the dual-service port l1 communicates directly with the adjacent compartment in guiding orice 2 and discharge port 34 connects directly, with passage 32,.

Upon reversal of ow of uid through the pipe-line uid will re-enter the feeder through dual-service port il and duct i301' in Fig. 2 it will enter through dual-service port I1 directly into the adjacent compartment in guiding orice 2. Thence it will shift the parts in reverse manner so as to shift piston 8 from the position.

shown in Fig. 2 to the left. This causes the fluid on the left of the piston to be discharged out of ducts 29 and 3l into discharge passage 32 and thence out of the outlet port. The remaining iiuid entering cylindrical piston 5 then passes out thereof through by-passV ducts 35, I6, into passage I0, duct I4, passages 2l and 23, past valve 25 and thence through dual-service port I9.

Thus the injection of fluid under pressure into either one of the dual-service. ports I1 or lI3 creates a pressure in the associated compartment in the piston guiding orice 2 which forces the hollow piston 5 toward the opposite end of the a,rso,csa

body. 'I'he closure of the check valve on the end of the piston provides positive operation of the feeder under all conditions of mounting and pressure and the movement of the hollow piston 5 to the opposite end of the orice 2, brings a corresponding piston discharge port, 23 or 29, into connection with a corresponding port in the walls of the piston guiding orifice, while also bringing I one of the piston inlet ports 26 or 21 into connection with a stationary port I2 or I5 connected with the fluid receiving compartment.

Thus the uid enters one of the opposed chambers 'of the hollow piston 5 under pressure and forces the snug fitting auxiliary piston 8 toward the opposite chamber expelling therefrom the uid with which it was charged by the previous operation of the auxiliary piston 8 in the opposite direction. As the auxiliary piston 3completes its stroke, it uncovers the by-pass outlet port 35 in the side wall of the hollow piston which is connected with port I3 or I6 thence to the other dual-service port. The predetermined quantity of uid is thus discharged through the outlet port 34 and the uid thereafter received is freely by-passed to the other dual-service port and the continuation of the line.

It will be understood that in the fluid distributing feeder constructed in accordance with my invention, the passages 9, I0 and 32 function merely as ducts or passages for conducting the iiuid. Since these passages do not receive snug tting pistons or valves sliding therein, it is not necessary to drill and finish them with'great accuracy and precision. Hence, in accordance with my invention, passages such as 3, I 0 and 32 may be drilled in any rapid convenient manner.

It will be seen thatl have provided an improved uid distributing feeder which is of simple construction and which has positive operating characteristics.

Aside from the specific embodiments of the invention herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed, and that I do not desire to limit the invention to the exact constructions herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A uid distributing feeder comprising a body. a piston receiving guiding orifice in said'body, a

hollow piston slidably 'disposed in said orifice,`

auxiliary piston means slidable in said hollow piston for dividing the same into opposed chambers. closure means for closing opposite ends of said orifice to define two compartments separated by said hollow piston, a dual-service port connected with each of said compartments, discharge means in said body and guiding orice, discharge ports in said hollow piston for connecting one or the other of its enclosed chambers with said discharge means accordingly as the hollow piston reciprocates in one direction'orthe other in response to fluid pressure applied in'either'v compartment, and cooperative port means in. the hollow piston and its guide for connecting the other chamber in the piston with the compartment receiving the uid pressure.

2. A `:lluid distributing feeder comprising, 'a

external discharge port, a hollow piston closed at opposite ends and slidably disposed/'in said orice for movement to either of twoy extreme positions therein, a pair of discharge ports and a -pair of inlet ports in said piston adjacent the closed ends thereof for discharging iluld from the hollow piston to either of said discharge ports corresponding to the position of the piston in said orifice, a pairof by-passing ports spaced axially in a middle portion of the side wall of said orifice, a by-passing channel extending from each of said by-passing ports, an external dualservice port associated with each of said channels, aby-passing port penetrating the side wall of said hollow piston substantially in the middle whereby one or the other of said pair of stationary by-passing ports registers with the piston bypassing port according to the position of the piston in the orifice, and an auxiliary piston slidably disposed in said hollow piston for internally dividing it into opposed chambers connected on one side to the spaced by-passing port which is connected to the dual-service port receiving fluid and a chamber on the other side connected to the piston discharge port which is operatively connected with the associated stationary discharge port, whereby fluid admitted into the hollow piston forces the auxiliary piston' to drive fluid out of the other chamber and to then uncover said fluid received from said dual-service port.

3. In a lubricating device of the character described the combination of a bodyhaving a cylinder therein and having lubricant inlet and outlet passages communicating with said cylinder, a plunger shiftable in said cylinder by lubricant pressure for discharging predetermined and valve plunger and valve means for by-passing lubricant through the device. a

' DAVID R. HILLIS. 

